Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Basketball: Ten Big Ideas from MasterClass

Take big ideas from leaders in other fields and our own. Here are a few from MasterClass, a continuing education program I enjoy daily.

1. "Do something for your craft and something for your business every day." - David Mamet  


Mamet wrote and directed Redbelt.

2. "Aim high." - Sara Blakely  Blakely turned a limited career as a copier salesperson into a five billion dollar company helping women look better in her Spanx undergarments. She advises, "Obsess the product." 

3. "Bring the best version of yourself." - Samuel L. Jackson  Jackson is a ubiquitous screen presence who loves acting. Part of his 'secret' is not just acting but treating everyone on the set well. 

4. "The movie is made in the editing room." - Ron Howard   Howard divides the work into planning & preparation, shooting, and editing. The same applies to coaching. Revise what needs revision. Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. 

5. "Look for the best version of the truth." - Bob Woodward, investigative journalist. Woodward knows that the whole truth is unavailable, so seeks to uncover what is. He relies on evidence, written or spoken (taped interviews). When a Supreme Court clerk challenged him about the accuracy of a quote in The Brethren, Woodward invited him to his home. He showed him the quote in the clerk's handwriting. 


6. Be relatable. Navy SEAL leadership expert Jocko Willink explains that team members must relate to actions. Actions done for the leader or shareholders won't be meaningful unless it helps team members have advancement and other benefits. 

7. "Cooks cook to nurture people." - Thomas Keller  Coaches coach to help others grow. Growth won't always translate into wins. Get the best results from the ingredients available with the right 'time and temperature'. 

8 "Study your mentors' mentors." - Usher  Usher studied James Brown, Gene Kelly. My first basketball mentor was Sonny Lane, who derived great influence from John Wooden and Dean Smith. We had a poster of the "Pyramid of Success" in our team room in 1972. I gave laminated copies to my players. One player carried hers in her gym bag daily. She wasn't an elite player. She was a great student and a three-sport captain. She's a graduate of Annapolis. 


9. "Always be on time. Never be an A*hole." - Helen Mirren   Mirren was asked what it took to become a success. Her answer works in every field. Phil Ford talked about "Dean Smith Time." Ford sets his watch ten minutes ahead, so he's never late. 

10."Kill your darlings." - David Mamet  Everyone has our pet sayings, beliefs, and values. They don't always belong in a piece. Comedians spend a lifetime "shaving syllables." Edit our drill book, our playbook, and our teaching methods. 

Bonus. 

"Read. Read. Read. Read. Read." - Director Werner Herzog   Herzog's first lesson to students is to read more. Read great prose, like J.A. Baker's The Peregrine. 

Lagniappe. 


Lagniappe 2. Extras. 
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